Control system for irrigation ditch diversion flow



Feb. 18, 1964 Filed April 29, 1959 O. A. MOORE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR IRRIGATION DITCH DIVERSION FLOW 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 4

IN V EN TOR.

Orval A. Moore BY WHITEHEAD,V0GL& LowE ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1964 o. A. MOORE 3,121,313

`CONTROL. SYSTEM FOR IRRIGATION DITCH DIVERSION FLOW Filed April 29, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Orval A. Moore BY wHrTEHEAo,voGL a LowE PERMK/e,

ATTORNEYS O. A. MOORE Feb. 1s, 1964 CONTROL SYSTEM FOR IRRIGATION DITCH DIVERSION FLOW 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 29, 1959 Fig. 9

Fig. IO

INVENTOR. Orval A. Moore BY wH|TEHEAD,voGL a LowE PERg//w//Y ATTORNE s @/as U asx 7 Feb. 18, 1964 o. A. MOORE 3,121,313

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR IRRIGATION DITCH DIVERSION FLOW Filed April 29, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 76 headgate supply Time INVENToR. Orval A. Moore Figl2l BY WHITEHEAD, vosL a LowE PER ATTORNEYS Feb. 18, 1964 o. A. MOORE 3,121,313

coNTRoL SYSTEM FoR IRRIGATION nITcH nIvERsIoN FLow Filed April 29, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 DI scharge Orval A. Moore BY WHITEHEAD, VOGL 8: LOWE ATTORNEYS United States Patent Otlee Patented Fein. i8, .lgd

aimais CONTRL SYSTEM EUR lRll'GA'llN @HCH Dll/Ell-SN FLW Grval A. Moore, Fort Collins, Colo. (29M 10th St., Greeley, Colo.) Filed Apr. 29, 1959, Ser. No. 869,675 3 (Cl. 61u23) This invention relates to control systems for hydraulic flow and more particularly to systems for the control of ilow in open channels, a primary object of the invention being to provide a novel and improved method and apparatus for regulating a diversion of ilow from a supply channel or river and into a diversion channel or ditch, the invention being hereinafter referred to as a control system, the supply channel as a river and the diversion channel as a ditch, although it is to be understood that such designations are not restrictive in application of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved control system for regulating a discharge or flow into a diversion ditch to maintain a selected discharge rate in the ditch regardless of variations in th Water supply and water level at the head oi the ditch.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved control system for regulating the diversion of ilow from a supply channel or river into a diversion channel or ditch to automatically and accurately divert an allocated flow from the river into the ditch as, for example, in accordance with a lawfully decreed right of diversion from the river.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved control system for regulating a variable ow into a bifurcated channel system to maintain a selected constant flow in one lateral of the system and to bypass the varying remainder of the variable low into the other lateral of the system.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved control system for regulating the ilow and maintaining a selected discharge rate from the forebay of a diversion dam into a diversion ditch regardless of variations of the water level in the orebay at the head of the channel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved control system for regulating the diversion of iiow from a river and into an irrigation ditch in strict accordance with a lawfully decreed right oi diversion from the river to either taire a constant rate of flow into the ditch from the river and permit the remainder to pass, or to permit a constant rate of ilow to pass down the river and to take any excess dow into the ditch that might exist.

Yet other objects of the invention are to provide, in an improved control system for regulating diversion of flow from a river and into a diversion ditch, an arrangement ot elements which is simple and economical in construction, easy to operate and maintain and reliable and trouble free.

With the ioregoinfY and other obiects in view, all of which more fully hereinafter appear, my invention comprises certain novel and improved constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts and elements, and of operations, sequences and steps, all as hereinafter described, defined in the appended claims and illustrated in preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FlGUllE l is a persA ective view, somewhat diagrammatic in nature, or a river channel and ditch diversion channel, and the diversion headworlts in the river, and including such conventional Ilow regulating and measuring apparatus which is used in connection with the in vention, all in an arrangement which is especially adapted to be modified to accommodate the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a transverse, sectional, somewhat diagrammatic view of a ow gaging station in one branch of the channel system illustrated at FIG. 1, as taken from the indicated line 2-2 at FIG. l, but on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse, sectional, somewhat diagrammatic view of a flow gaging station in the other branch of the channel system, as taken from the in iicated line 3--3 at FlG. l, but on an enlarged scale and with channel portions broken away to conserve space.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse, sectional, somewhat diagrammatic View of the headworks or the system, looking upstream to illustrate a control station in :section and an elevational View of the gate controls in the diversion ditch and a Weir control inthe river channel, all as taken from the indicated line 4 4 at FIG. l, but on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective View of a portion of the flow indicating apparatus at the gaging stations illustrated at FIGS. 2 and 3, as viewed substantially from the indicated arrow S at FIG. 2, but on an enlarged scale and inodied over conventional arrangement-s in accordance with the principles of the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective View of a selector of a type especially adapted to be incorporated into the invention at the control station illustrated at FIG. 4, as viewed substantially from the indicated arrow 6 at FIG. 4, but on an enlarged scale.

FlGURE 7 is a perspective view of flow indicators adapted to be incorporated into the invention at the control station as viewed substantially from the indicated arrow 7 at FIG. 4, but on a further enlarged scale.

FGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional elevation View of the control station illustrated at FIG. 4 and showing a preferred arrangement of the lselector and other elements incorporated therewith, as taken substantially from the indicated line 8 8 at FIG. 4, but on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 9 is a mechanical diagram of a sectional View of a headworks control gate and of other mechanical elements incorporated therewith which are `generally viewed from the indicated arrow 9 at FIG. 8.

FIGURE l0 is an electrical circuit diagram which interconnects t-he various selectors, timers and operational controls of the apparatus.

FIGURE l1 is an electrical diagram of the controls and interconnecting leads of one component portion of the arrangement set forth at FIG. 101.

FGURES l2, 13, 14 and l5 are representative diagrams of relationships between water ilow in the river, controlled water iow in the diversion ditch channel and control gate movement with respect to time as when changes in the rate of flow of the river occur and when the iiow in the diversion channel is maintained at a substantially constant rate, all to illustrate the method of operation of the apparatus in accordance with the principles of the invention.

ln the arid western states where irrigation is necessary the how of most rivers is diverted to irrigation ditches and many irrigation ditch systems are capable of diverting the entire available river flow during the summer months. Because of a recurring water shortage each season in many localities a law of water diversion has been developed based upon rights of appropriation to establish priority of the use of the available water. District engineers, Water masters or other oiiicials administer such laws permitting each irrigation ditch to divert selected amounts of water from the river or supply channel according to its priority right. The senior appropriator may divert his allotted priority rst and then the junior appropriators may divert. Each junior irrigation ditch must bypass whatever flow is required `for senior ditch downstream before it can divert at all. However, when a ditch is di- Li verting its allotted flow it must then bypass any excess for the beneiit f the junior priority holders downstream. ln any extensive system of irrigation ditches the manager of each irrigation ditch is informed at all times by the state engineer or by proper authority as to the amount of liow he can divert or bypass.

lt follows that the diversion llow of an irrigation ditch is according to one of two possible conditions: either to divert a selected steady Alow from the river and bypass the remainder of the flow down the river, or to bypass down the river a selected steady how and divert into the ditch whatever is left. To do this liow gaging stations are located in the river and in the irrigation ditch downstream from the point of diversion to enable the ditch operator to properly set the diversion gates or like controls at the ditch headgate.

would be a simple procedure were it not for the fact that there is usually a constant changing of the river flow which, in turn, requires constant changing of those gate settings which regulate the diversion liow into the irrigation ditch. This need for constant attention exists whether the irrigation ditch is taking all or only part of its decreed amount of water, as when the river flow supply is deficient. Heretofore, a number of regulating devices have -been developed in order to simplify the chore of controlling the diversion flow in the face of river variation and to minimize the need for constant attention at the control gate of the irrigation ditch. A common mode of regulation is to establish flow measurements at the forebay regulating gate whenever the drop in elevation at the forebay is sullicient to prevent undesirable backwater conditions at the `gate control. The success of such devices has `generally been indifferent and at best a control will work in one installation but for some unknown reason will not work at another installation.V

lt was with such in View that the present invention was conceived and developed, and comprises, in essence, an automatic control system for a diversion works suoh as at the gate of an irrigation ditch to automatically regulate the control gate, ,or an equivalent control, to maintain a selected diversion of the river flow into the ditch at all times. The invention also comprises a method for controlling a diversion ow by a time-delayed response to a flow measurement indication, all as hereinafter set forth indetail.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a typical diversion works is illustrated at FIGS. l to 4 where the river channel 2li is interrupted by a weir 2l. The channel is widened upstream from this weir and the water backs up to provide a forebay 22. A `lateral channel or irrigation ditch 25 heads at a wall 24 at the forebay which separates the ditch from the forebay to form the diversion headworks. A control diversion of flow into the ditch Vis through on or more gate passageways Z5 through the wall 24 which are covered by gates 2e and 26a.

in the drawing these gates are rectangular members mounted at the downstream face of the wall 2li, but it is to be understood that such is merely illustrative for the gates are often mounted at the upstream face of the Wall Zd and their form may be other than rectangular. Regardless, the gates move vertically in tracks 27 carried by the wall 24. ln the illustration one gate Ze includes a lifting stem 23 which upstands tserefrom to extend to the top of the wall 24 and isV connected to a lift wheel Z9 which is operated manually. The other gate however, includes a piston stem 23a which upstands therefrom to extend to the double acting cylinderV 3L-tl for mechanical operation in connection with the invention as hereinafter set forth. lt is contemplated that where two or more gates are at the headworks a mechanical gate lift control will be used at one or more of the gates as the basic means for regulation of the iiow into the ditch 23 and that the other gate or gates having manual lifts will be used only for supplementary settings of a somewhat permanent nature and in describing the invention it will .be assumed that the manually operated head gates will remain closed or at a fixed setting and hence will not be considered further.

A flow gaging station 3l is located in the river Ztl downstream from the weir Al a distance suiiicient to permit turbulent flow over the weir to iron itself out. A flow gaging station 32 is also located in the ditch downstream from the gates 26 and 21651 a distance suflicient to ermit turbulent flow through the gates to iron itself out. Where the flow conditions are satisfactory, as generally in a river, the gaging station 3l may be operated by simple .ieasurement of the Water level in the channel as illustrated in HG. 3. However, where the gradient is comparatively lla-t as in an irrigation ditch, the ditch section may have to be modified by inclusion of narrowing structure such as a Parshall flume 33 in order to permit effective measurement of the water level therein.

The practical method of flow measurement in a ditch and river is to measure the water level of the channel. This measurement is accomplished in both instances by a iioat 34 in a well 35 and 35 along the ditch bank and river channel respectively which communicates with the respective channels of the ditch or river by a side to pipes 36 and 3e. The float position indicating water level in cach arrangement is dete mined by the sounding ine 37 which extends upwardly from the float and over a horizontally axis-ed wheel 3b to depend from the opposite side of the wheel under constant tension by a counterweight 39 connected to its 'spending terminal end. The axles of the respective wheels 38 are mounted in suitable bearings in bases tu in shelter sheds il and al over the respective wells 35 and 35. The wheel and line 37 are suitably calibrated and marked to register ow rates which are indicated by a pointer 42 mounted upon the frame di in accordance with conventional practice.

The gaging stations are necessarily remote from the diversion headworks at the forebay in order `to measure an ironed out flow. However, to control the flow at the gates by a mechanical gate lift it is desirable to provide machinery close to the mechanically lifted gate 2da as in a shelter 43 which constitutes a central control station. It follows that the basic movementsV of a float 34 must be transmitted to this control station to a regulator apparatus 44 so that the gate lifting machinery 45, hereinafter described, may be operated to raise or lower the gate 26a according to an established program of operation.

A preferred means of transmitting the basic float movement to the central control shed i3 is with selsyn motors do which are conveniently used in pairs or groups at spaced locations to provide an interconnected system Vwherein any rotational movement of the shaft of one motor is precisely duplicated by a like rotation movement of the shaft of the remote motor. A selsyn motor le is operatively, connected to the shaft of each wheel 33 to register the rotation thereof as slight changes of licat position occur due to changes in the flow rate of the channel or ditch. indicator gages i7 and to follow this movement are mounted in the central station 43 upon a suitable backboard ad with one gage i7 indicating river flow and the other gage i'rz indicating ditch fiow. A selsyn motor d5 is mounted behind the board i8 and behind each gage d'7 and 47a and the shaft thereof carries the balanced indicator pointer as clearly illustrated at FlG. 7. rfhe selsyn motor de at the river gage 47 is connected with a selsyn motor at the river gaging station 3l as by a group of circuits Sii and the selsyn motor ltd at the ditch gage 47a is connected to the selsyn motor at the ditch gaging station 32 by a group of circuits Stia. By proper calibration of the gages 47 and 47a the ilow of both the channel and ditch may be observed in the control station i3 at all times.

When an irrigation ditch diverts water from a river it will usually be in such a manner as to require either a steady diversion flow into the ditch while passing a variable flow down the river or a passing of a steady iiow down the river while diverting a variable flow into thc ditch, as hereinbefore set forth. In either situation control of the regulating gate 26a in accordance with the present invention must be such as to hold the steady flow in the ditch or river, Whichever is the selected steady flow channel, hereinafter so designated, by automatic movement of the gate 26a as the river supply varies. The movement of the gate is monitored by the flow gaging apparatus at the gaging station, 3l or 32, at the selected steady flow channel and the gate raises or lowers to compensate for any slight increase or decrease of the flow in the steady flow channel.

Such increases or decreases from steady tiow are picked up by the gaging station apparatus and are relayed by the selsyn motors At6 to the central station 43. Such movements of the selsyn motors 46 actuate the regulator apparatus dft through switching means and the regulator apparatus starts and stops the gate lifting machinery as hereinafter set forth. The switching means includes a selsyn motor 46a which is centrally mounted upon a table 5l at the control station 43. This selsyn motor 46a is powered by a group of circuits S2 which may be interconnected with either the circuit group Si? or the cir* cuit group Stia as by a throw-over toggle switch 53 to properly interconnect the selsyn 46a with the circuits of the selsyn 46 at the selected steady flow channel. This toggle switch S3 is illustrated as being manually operated although it may be operated automatically to throw, for example, from river steady ow to ditch steady liow whenever the river flow increases suiciently. However, while ordinary river llow will vary constantly, most variations, within a short period of time, are ordinarily not large enough to require changeovers as from constant river flow to constant ditch flow more than once every few days and such changeovers are usually not permitted except with administrative orders and thus are necessarily manual operations.

The selsyn motor units conveniently availabie wi-ll faithfully reproduce remote movement providing there is no significant unbalanced torque forces on the selsyn shafts. Therefore, the selsyn motor 46a cannot be used to physically contact and open or close circuit switches where a measurable force is required to eifect the operation thereof. In preferred construction, switches are controlled by cutting off light beams in a manner in which no torque force whatsoever is required. A disc 54 is mounted upon the shaft of the selsyn motor 46a and a carefully balanced interrupter arm 55 is mounted upon the disc and set in proper position by lock bolts Se extending through the arm `and into radial adjusting slots 57 in the disc. A pair of beam lamps 5? is mounted upon the table with each lamp near an end of the arm 55 and a pair of electric eye switches 59 is mounted upon the table in opposition to the beam lamps to normally receive the light beams unless interrupted by the ends of the arm 5S. Each electric eye switch S9 is normally adapted to remain open when a beam of light strikes it, but to close when the light beam is cut off and the arm 55 is adjusted so that it is normally in a horizontal position with the light beams flashing over the end portions 69 of the top edge of the arm. Either beam will be cut off from its eye by the slightest movement of the arm. This edge et) may be sharpened to provide more sensitive adjustment and may be adjustable in any conventional manner, not shown.

The electric eye switches 59 are connected with time delay switches through circuits, hereinafter described, to operate the gate lifting machinery 4S. This machinery i5 is a conventional arrangement of conventional elements which includes a motor 6l, a pump 62 connected therewith, a iiuid reservoir 63, a line 64 connecting the reservoir and pump intake, and a vfour-way valve 65 having an intake Iline 66 from the pump discharge, working lines 67 and 67x to each end of the double acting cylinder 3@ and a discharge line 63 returning to the reservoir 631. The intake line `66 includes a throttle valve 69 to regulate the rate of iiow through the lines and speed of the gate movement. The four-way valve is a conventional type adapted to shift pressure flow to the top or bottom of the gate cylinder to lower or raise the gate and this valve is controlled by solenoids` 7i) and 70x interconnected with circuits inhereafter described.

Any operation which `would simply 'interconnect the electric eye switches 59 with the controlling machinery would be inoperative because of a condition sometimes referred to as hunting, a continuous reversing of the control gate movement because the control signals at the gaging station are received after a iiow change which initiates the signals by a smft of the gate. This time delay or lag is illustratedgraphically by the discharge-time coordinates of the chart FIG. 13. The solid line curve 7l represents a typical variation of iiow into the channel at the gate 2da when the gate is in fixed position, as might be caused by `a like variation of the rivet` supply changing the -water level elevation in forebay Z2. The broken line curve 72 represents the same tiow in the channel at the gaging station further downstream. The time lag L between the variations of flow at the gate and `at the gaging station is substantial and may be tive minutes or more. Although this time lag L will vary somewhat depending upon the quantity of ow in the channel it can be determined within reasonable limitations by simple field tests. rThe method of operation in accordance with the invention uses a time interval `which approximates or preferably exceeds the lag l., as hereinafter set forth.

In physical operation, the apparatus hereinbefore described is necessarily insensitive to a small range of variation of iiow at the gaging station. For example, there is a certain amount of frictional drag which renders the equipment insensitive to very slight changes: in the water level in the well 35. Also, very slight movements of the arm 55 will not operate the electric eye switches. This variation of flow at the gaging station is a minor factor and is seldom more than a small percentage of total flow. Moreover, the variation of the regulator apparatus is even less. it is a tolerance factor T (FlG. 13) and any flow variation within this limit may be considered for practical purposes as a steady liow.

This effect or" the tolerance factor is also illustrated graphically at FIG. 13 by the curves representing discharge which are distorted to better illustrate the action. A theoretical steady ilow is represented by line 73, but the actual fiow 7d will vary slightly, However, this variation cannot be detected as long as it is within the tolerance limits T of the apparatus, represented by tolerance lines 75 which lie in spaced parallelism, one at each side of the theoretical flow line 73. The physical variations of actual ow 7 l which do not etiect the apparatus may either be caused by slight variations in the river supply or by slight movements of the control gate. The method of operation in accordance with the invention takes advantage of this tolerance factor and uses a stepping movement of the control gate wherein each step movement of the gate changes the flow in the channel only a slight amount and less than that which would be represented by the spacing of the tolerance lines 7S, so that, in effect the gaging `apparatus may be insensitive to a single stepmovement of the gate.

Therefore, the operation of the gates according to my improved method for obtaining a steady flow in the selected channel, regardless of the supply condition at the headworks is basically to compensate for variations at the headworks by gate movement according to indications at the gaging station, but with gate movements being in small increments and at selected time intervals between each movement. Each increment of movement changes the flow in the channel `an amount less than that indicated by the spacing of the tolerance lines 75, and each individual gate movement is spaced from the prior gate movement by a time interval which exceeds the lag time etween a change of flow at the gate and the same change at the gaging station in the channel.

The operation according to the improved method is graphically illustrated at FiGS. 14 and 15 wherein various relationships are presented with respect to time. The description will be referred to an operation where the ditch 23 is operated as a steady liow channel and the river 2t; downstream from the torebay 22 as being the variable ow channel. A supply curve 7e represents the river flow supply or the iwater level at the forebay 2,2 which aiiects the flow through the gate. The supply 76 is illustrated in FIG. 14 as commencing as a steady state condition, then increasing and finally returning to a steady state condition. lt is illustrated in FlG. as commencing as a steady state condition then decreasing and nally returning to a steady state condition. Such variations are fundamental and representative of any of the more complex variations which would occur in the channel system.

When the `apparatus as hereinafter further described is setto maintain steady tlow in the ditch and the tolerance lines 75 are established. The true ilow 77 in the ditch at the gaging station will not register upon the apparatus when it rema-ins within the tolerance limits between lines 75. For all practical purposes, the true llow will be considered as a steady flow, because these variations, within limits of ordinary flow measurement cannot be detected. However, when the supply condition 76 changes signincantly a corresponding change of the true rlov/ 77 will occur -in the ditch and it will eventually shift outside the tolerance lines 75.

The apparatus then reacts to compensatingly shift the position of the control gate. The time delay for this reaction of the changing supply curve will include the time lag factor L and a smaller time factor S to move the true iiow 77 across a tolerance line as at 7S. Then the apparatus commences to operate as to close the gate in the case of an increasing supply as at FiG. i4 or to open it in case of a decreasing supply as at FlG. 15.

The gate movement is Iindicated by the curve 7@ and the ow through the gate is represented by the curve 8d. The flow through the gate changes immediately by change of the gate position. The gate movement however, is restricted and after a selected small movement M the gate stops and does not move again until the passing of a selected time interval R which is at least approximately and preferably somewhat greater than the time lag L. While the llow Sil through the gate will change as the gate position changes, as to decrease as the gate closes or increase as'it opens, it will also change in accordance with the changing of the supply conditions 76 through the remainder of the'time period R.

As soon as the selected period l2. terminates if the iiow 77 at the gaging station is outside the tolerance lines as at 73' the gate will again operate to lower or rm'se to repeat the cycle, moving a small amount and remaining at another position for a selected period R. Should the true ilow 77 be out of the tolerance lines 75 as at '73 at the end of this period the gate is again shifted and the cycle repeated.

This operation terminates shortly after the supply conditions represented by curve 76 return to a steady state, for whenever the true ow 77 is outside of t e tolerance lines it will operate to shift the gate and the resulting flow 77 toward the tolerance lines and into the tolerance Vlines and when the true tlow 77 crosses the tolerance lines as at 7S further shitting of the gate ceases.

This condiiton illustrated at FIG. 14 emphasizes graphically the desirability for limiting the gate movement M so that the change of measured ow M by this gate movement must be less than the change indicated by the spacing of the tolerance lines 75. lf the change M were substantially greater than the tolerance factor T the ow 77 would` shift from one side of the tolerance lines 75 to the other side and commence undesirable hunting.

A preferred group of operative circuits to control this unique gate action is illustrated at FIGS. 10 and 1l. The

motor 5i iis operated by a power circuit 3l which may be either a single phase or three-phase source and this circuit preferably includes a starter switch indicated by box SZ ot a type which includes two starter coils 33 and 53x. The lamps 5d may be operated by a simple single-phase circuit indicated by leads S4 and these lights will remain on at all times during the operation oi the apparatus.

yThe primary control circuit is a single-phase power source as from lea-ds S5 and 85x. rThese leads interconnect with each electric eye switch 59 for operation of the switches and with a closing lead Sd extending from one switch and `a closing lead Stix extending from the other switch. The lead de' and closing lead 85x connect with the solenoid 7u and starter switch 3 in parallel to i iate operations to raise the gate 26a whenever switches, hereinaner described, are closed.

Each closing lead Se and 86x -is controlled by the electric eye switch 5.9 and also by a timer switching arrangement so that whenever the electric eye switch closes as by a movement oi the arm 5d responsive to an unbalanced ilow condition at the gaging station, the circuits to the selected solenoid and motor switch will close for a short period to permit only a limited gate movement M and then remain open to prevent further movement for the selected restricted time interval R. For easy adjustments and setting of the time interval for gate movement and the subsequent time interval of no gate movement, it is desirable to provide a pair of timer devices, a short-interval timer 87 for setting gate movement and a long-inter val timer 33 for setting the holding interval. 1T hese timers are of a conventional type having a time-interVal-establishing motor, switches operable by the motor and a resetholdlng coil adapted to hold and reset the apparatus responsive to electrical impulses, all in an arrangement now described. Y

i'lhe detailed circuit illustrated at B1G. l1 is for one side of the operation as tor lowering the gate, and the other circuit for raising the gate is not shown since it is substantially identical to the circuit illustrated except for an alternaton of the power lease and 85x and the use oi 'the closing lead 56x instead of the lead S6. The electric eye switch includes a light sensitive eye S9 in a circ lit loop Siti connecting leads S5 and Stix, including a relay ll. The switch of the relay 9i interconnects the power lead with the closing lead Se whenever the light source from lamp 58 is cut oil from the eye d as by movement of arm 55. The closing lead $6 then becomes a continuation of the power lead 85.

One branch of the closing lead Se extends to an initially closed continuation switch 92 in the short-range timer 87 which closes the circuit 86 to the motor starter 13): and solenoid 762x. The lead S includes another branch which extends to an initially closed motor circuit switch 93 in the long-range timer and thence to the shortrange timer as a motor circuit 94 that operates a motor 9S therein.V (The motor circuit 9d also includes a cutout switch 94.5 in the timer $7 and from thence extends to connect with a leg of the lead 35x. A holding coil 97 in the short-range timer S7 shunts the motor 9S and switch @d in circuit 94.

As an initial phase oi operation, which occurs whenever the electric eye switch of relay 91 closes, and with switches 92, 93 and 96 initially closed, the motor 95 starts and after a selected short time period a mechanical cutout 9S, indicated by the broken lines, opens switches 96 and 92 to open the circuit S6 beyond the timer for stopping rnotor 6l. and resulting gate movement. The opening ol? switch 96 stops operation of the motor 95 but the holding coil 97 remains energized to hold the switches 96 and 92 in their depressed position.

When the throw arm of switch 92 is depressed it contacts the switch head 92 of a starter circuit 9% which extends t the long-range timer 88 and interconnects with The circuit 99 continues through a A holding coil 9 162 in the timer shunts the motor 109 to operate simultaneously therewith.

When the short-range gate moving cycle is completed the long-range motor switch circuit is closed by switch 92 and the long-range motor itl@ commences to operate. After a selected time interval mechanical cutout 163, indicated by broken lines, opens the s-witches 93 and 101. The opening of switch 93 opens circuit 94 to release the holding coil 97 of the short-range timer and permit the switches of that timer to return to their initial position. At the same time the circuit 99 is opened by the opening of switches 92" and 1M to stop the motor 100 and open holding coil it?. to return all components back to their initial positions. ri`he cycle will then be repeated if the electric eye switch 9i still closes circuits 85 and 86, but operation will cease the instant this switch 91 is opened as when the flow conditions balance themselves.

Operation of the apparatus provides for a iiow control in a selected steady flow channel somewhat in the manner illustrated by the diagram at FIG. 12 wherein relationships are illustrated with respect to time. The supply conditions are illustrated as varying as by the curve 76 which commences with a steady state condition, then increases, then levels oit, then decreases and again levels off. The gate movement illustrated by curve 79 shows the stepping action to close the gate responsive to increase of headgate supply and `then opens the gate responsive to decrease of the headgate supply, as hereinbefore set forth. The tlow in the channel at the gate is indicated by curve SSB and .this ow deviates somewhat from the setting of a steady ilow, indicated by dashed line curve '73, as seen from the diagram. However in each instance, the variation is not large and the actual flow '79 returns to the set steady flow shortly after a disturbance of the hetadgate condition.

It is to be noted from this description that no attempt has been made to set forth the relationships shown in the charts of FIGS. l12, 13, 14 and 15 in a quantitative manner, for it is immediately apparent to one skilled in the art that the quantitative values of the various factors discussed will vary at each location, but that such may be quickly determined by simple tests. For example, the time intervals for gate movement and for delay may be established by operation of the timers 37 and 88 when an approximate Value of the time lag L and the incremental gate movement is known without detailed experiments to determine these factors with precision.

While l have now described my invention in considerable detail, it is obvious that others skilled in the art can devise alternate and equivalent constructions and operations which are within the scope `and spirit of my invention. Hence, I desire that my protection be limited, not by the details or" construction and operation herein described, but only by the proper scope of the appended claims.

l claim:

1. ln combination with a diversion ditch particularly adapted to receive a variable water supply at the head thereof having a flow regulating head gate and a flow measuring station downstream from the head a distance sufficient to eliminate the effect of turbulence upon said measuring station;

a control system particularly adapted to maintain a predetermined substantially steady ow in said ditch by automatic compensating reversible movements of said gate as the water level at the head varies, said control system comprising:

(A) Huid flow indicating means positioned at said measuring station for determining iiuid flow in said ditch, said indicating means comprising:

(1) a -oat having one position when a condition of steady fiow exists in said ditch and being movable in one direction from said one position in response to an increase in said ow and movable in another direction from said one position in response to a decrease in said ow;

(B) sensing means for responding to a change in the position of said ilow indicating means comprising:

(l) a first circuit,

(2) a second circuit,

(3) an electric eye switch disposed in each of said irst and second circuits and closeable to complete a respective one of said circuits whenever a beam of light is directed to a respective one of said eye swtiches,

(4) a shaft,

(5) balanced arm means positioned upon said shaft having opposing light cut-ott edges disposed substantially adjacent to one of said eye switches, and,

(6) light beam producing means for directing a beam of light upon each of said eye switches, said arm means being so constituted and arranged as to normally position said edges in the path of said light beams, whereby said light beams are normally interrupted, and being rotatable in each of a plurality of directions, one edge being moved away `from a corresponding light beam when said arm means rotates in one of said plurality or" directions and the other edge being moved away from a corresponding light beam when said arm means rotates in another of said plurality of directions, whereby said light beam producing means will close one or the other of said electric eye switches responsive to the rotation of said balanced arm means from the norm-al position thereof and a corresponding one of said iirst and second circuit means;

(C) linkage means interconnecting the iloat and said shaft for maintaining said balanced arm means in the normal position thereof when the loat is disposed in the one position thereof under conditions of steady flow and for rotating said balanced arm means in one of said plurality of directions responsive to movement of the oat in said one direction and in another of said plurality of directions responsive to movement of the float in said other direction, thereby causing a corresponding one of said rst and second circuits to be closed when said iioat moves in a corresponding one of said one and said other directions to a position other than the normal position thereof;

(D) actuator means for closing and opening said gate and for closing said gate when one of said rst and second circuits is closed and for opening said gate when the other of said first and second circuits is closed, whereby the flow through said gate is reduced when said float moves in one of said one and said other directions to indicate an excess of ilo-w through the ditch, and the flow through said gate is increased when the oat moves in another of said one and said other directions to indicate a deficiency of iiow through the ditch, and;

(E) movement limiting and time delay means positioned in each of said iirst and second circuits and being operatively associated with said actuator means for limiting the gate to relatively small increments of opening and closing movements at least equal to no incre than a tolerance factor as defined by permissible relatively small variations of flow through said ditch in excess of and less than said substantially steady flow, in response to which variations said float remains in substantially its said one posi- 'i i tion and neither of said first and second circuits is energized, when closing or" one of said electric eye switches initiates gate movement and for providing a predetermined time delay period between each increment of gate movement, said time deiay period being at least equal to the time period required by any change in said substantially steady flow condition to be eective at said measuring station. 2. in the combination as deiined by ciaim 1, wherein:

.(F) said shaft is remote from said float; `(G) a primary shaft is positioned adjacent to and operatively connected with said float, and; (H) means is provided for rotating said rst named shaft and said primary shaft in unison. 3. In combination with a diversion ditch adapted to receive a variable water supply at the head thereof having a flow regulating head gate and a ilow measuring station downstream `from the head a distance suiiicient to eliminate the effect of turbulence upon said measuring station, a control system adapted to maintain a predetermined substantially steady how in said ditch by automatic compensating reversible movements of the gate as the t water level at the head varies comprising:

(A) iiuid iiow indicating means positioned at the iiow measuring station for determining uid iiow in said ditch, said iiow indicating means comprising:

(1) a float having a base portion when conditions of steady ow exist in said ditch and movable in one direction from the base position thereoi` responsive to an increase of said fiow and in another direction responsive to a decrease of said now;

,(B) sensing means for responding to a change in the position of said iiow indicating means comprising:

(l) a first circuit,

(2) a second circuit, and

(3) la normally open switch disposed in each of said iirst and second circuits;

(C) linkage means operativeiy connected with the oat and said switches for closing the switch of the irst said circuit and energizing that circuit responsive to movement of the iioat in one of said iirst and said other directions from the base position thereof and to ciose the switch of the second said circuit and energizing that circuit responsive to movement of the float in the other of said one and said other directions from the base position thereof;

(D) actuator means for closing and opening said gate and for closing said gate when one of said iirst and second circuits is closed and for opening said gate when the other of said first and second circuits is closed, whereby the how through said gate is reduced when said float moves in one of said one and said other directions to indicate an excess of how through th ditch, and the iiow through said gate is increased when the oat moves in another of said one i2 and said other directions to indicate a deciency of flow through the ditch, and;

(E) movement limiting and time delay means in said sensing means andbeing operatively connected with said actuator means for limiting the gate to relatively small increments of opening and closing movements at least equal to no more than a tolerance factor as defined by permissible relatively small variations of tlow through said ditch in excess of and less than said substan tially steady low, in response to which variations said float remains in substantially its said base position and neither of said rst and second circuits is energized, when vciosing oi one of the switches of said sensing means initiates gate movement and for providing a predetermined time delay period between each increment of gate movement, each increment of movement effecting only a minor change of ditch flow and each time delay period bein-g at least equal to the time period required by any change in said steady iiow condition to be effective upon the ow indicating means of said measuring station, said movement limiting and time delay means comprising:

(l) a nonmally closed timer switch disposed in each of said trst and second circuits for:

(a) closing and remaining closed when a corresponding one of said rst and second circuits is open and deenergized,

(b) remaining closed for a first predetermined time whenever a corresponding one of said irst and second circuits is energized,

(c) opening the correspondingly energized circuit for a second selected time interval, and Y (d) thence to cyclically close and open the correspondingly energized circuit -for said iirst and second time intervals as long as said correspondingly energized circuit `remains energized, whereby said time intervals establish the aforesaid increments of gate movement and the delay periods between the relatively small increments of movement of saidV gate.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,388,723 Kennedy Aug. 23, l1921 Y Y 2,345,466 Dias Mar. 28, 1944 2,876,396 Rush et al Mar. 3, 1959 2,892,133 Huge June 2,3, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 429,696 Germany J une 4, 1926 347,976 Great Britain May 7, 1931 465,946 Great Britain May 18, 1937 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A DIVERSION DITCH PARTICULARLY ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A VARIABLE WATER SUPPLY AT THE HEAD THEREOF HAVING A FLOW REGULATING HEAD GATE AND A FLOW MEASURING STATION DOWNSTREAM FROM THE HEAD A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO ELIMINATE THE EFFECT OF TURBULENCE UPON SAID MEASURING STATION; A CONTROL SYSTEM PARTICULARLY ADAPTED TO MAINTAIN A PREDETERMINED SUBSTANTIALLY STEADY FLOW IN SAID DITCH BY AUTOMATIC COMPENSATING REVERSIBLE MOVEMENTS OF SAID GATE AS THE WATER LEVEL AT THE HEAD VARIES, SAID CONTROL SYSTEM COMPRISING: (A) FLUID FLOW INDICATING MEANS POSITIONED AT SAID MEASURING STATION FOR DETERMINING FLUID FLOW IN SAID DITCH, SAID INDICATING MEANS COMPRISING: (1) A FLOAT HAVING ONE POSITION WHEN A CONDITION OF STEADY FLOW EXISTS IN SAID DITCH AND ONE POSITION IN RESPONSE TO AN INCREASE IN SAID FLOW AND MOVABLE IN ANOTHER DIRECTION FROM SAID ONE POSITION IN RESPONSE TO A DECREASE IN SAID FLOW; (B) SENSING MEANS FOR RESPONDING TO A CHANGE IN THE POSITION OF SAID FLOW INDICATING MEANS COMPRISING: (1) A FIRST CIRCUIT, (2) A SECOND CIRCUIT, (3) AN ELECTRIC EYE SWITCH DISPOSED IN EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CIRCUITS AND CLOSEABLE TO COMPLETE A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID CIRCUITS WHENEVER A BEAM OF LIGHT IS DIRECTED TO A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID EYE SWITCHES, (4) A SHAFT, (5) BALANCED ARM MEANS POSITIONED UPON SAID SHAFT HAVING OPPOSED LIGHT CUT-OFF EDGES DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY ADJACENT TO ONE OF SAID EYE SWITCHES, AND (6) LIGHT BEAM PRODUCING MEANS FOR DIRECTING A BEAM OF LIGHT UPON EACH OF SAID EYE SWITCHES, SAID ARM MEANS BEING SO CONSTITUTED AND ARRANGED AS TO NORMALLY POSITION SAID EDGES IN THE PATH OF SAID LIGHT BEAMS, WHEREBY SAID LIGHT BEAMS ARE NORMALLY INTERRUPTED, AND BEING ROTATABLE IN EACH OF A PLURALITY OF DIRECTIONS, ONE EDGE BEING MOVED AWAY FROM A CORRESPONDING LIGHT BEAM WHEN SAID ARM MEANS ROTATES IN ONE OF SAID PLURALITY OF DIRECTIONS AND THE OTHER EDGE BEING MOVED AWAY FROM A CORRESPONDING LIGHT BEAM WHEN SAID ARM MEANS ROTATES IN ANOTHER OF SAID PLURALITY OF DIRECTIONS, WHEREBY SAID LIGHT BEAM PRODUCING MEANS WILL CLOSE ONE OR THE OTHER OF SAID ELECTRIC EYE SWITCHES RESPONSIVE TO THE ROTATION OF SAID BALANCED ARM MEANS FROM THE NORMAL POSITION THEREOF AND A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CIRCUIT MEANS; (C) LINKAGE MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE FLOAT AND SAID SHAFT FOR MAINTAINING SAID BALANCED ARM MEANS IN THE NORMAL POSITION THEREOF WHEN THE FLOAT IS DISPOSED IN THE ONE POSITION THEREOF UNDER CONDITIONS OF STEADY FLOW AND FOR ROTATING SAID BALANCED ARM MEANS IN ONE OF SAID PLURALITY OF DIRECTIONS RESPONSIVE TO MOVEMENT OF THE FLOAT IN SAID ONE DIRECTION AND IN ANOTHER OF SAID PLURALITY OF DIRECTIONS RESPONSIVE TO MOVEMENT OF THE FLOAT IN SAID OTHER DIRECTION, THEREBY CAUSING A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CIRCUITS TO BE CLOSED WHEN SAID FLOAT MOVES IN A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID ONE AND SAID OTHER DIRECTIONS TO A POSITION OTHER THAN THE NORMAL POSITION THEREOF; (D) ACTUATOR MEANS FOR CLOSING AND OPENING SAID GATE AND FOR CLOSING SAID GATE WHEN ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CIRCUITS IS CLOSED AND FOR OPENING SAID GATE WHEN THE OTHER OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CIRCUITS IS CLOSED, WHEREBY THE FLOW THROUGH SAID GATE IS REDUCED WHEN SAID FLOAT MOVES IN ONE OF SAID ONE AND SAID OTHER DIRECTIONS TO INDICATE AN EXCESS OF FLOW THROUGH THE DITCH, AND THE FLOW THROUGH SAID GATE IS INCREASED WHEN THE FLOAT MOVES IN ANOTHER OF SAID ONE AND SAID OTHER DIRECTIONS TO INDICATE A DEFICIENCY OF FLOW THROUGH THE DITCH, AND; (E) MOVEMENT LIMITING AND TIME DELAY MEANS POSITIONED IN EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CIRCUITS AND BEING OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ACTUATOR MEANS FOR LIMITING THE GATE TO RELATIVELY SMALL INCREMENTS OF OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENTS AT LEAST EQUAL TO NO MORE THAN A TOLERANCE FACTOR AS DEFINED BY PERMISSIBLE RELATIVELY SMALL VARIATIONS OF FLOW THROUGH SAID DITCH IN EXCESS OF AND LESS THAN SAID SUBSTANTIALLY STEADY FLOW, IN RESPONSE TO WHICH VARIATIONS SAID FLOAT REMAINS IN SUBSTANTIALLY ITS SAID ONE POSITION AND NEITHER OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CIRCUITS IS ENERGIZED, WHEN CLOSING OF ONE OF SAID ELECTRIC EYE SWITCHES INITIATES GATE MOVEMENT AND FOR PROVIDING A PREDETERMINED TIME DELAY PERIOD BETWEEN EACH INCREMENT OF GATE MOVEMENT, SAID TIME DELAY PERIOD BEING AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE TIME PERIOD REQUIRED BY ANY CHANGE IN SAID SUBSTANTIALLY STEADY FLOW CONDITION TO BE EFFECTIVE AT SAID MEASURING STATION. 